The Art of Never Letting Go (Book 2)

happy birthday

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Happy 34th birthday, Alden!

Sino 'to? Maine?

Yeah.

Thought so. Hahaha. Where did you get my number? What happened? I heard you just got back from Canada.

Rodjun. A year of hiatus lang. Gano'n. Tita offered a year of vacay, eh.

Iba talaga kapag artista life, 'no? Kailangan ng break from life.

Baliw.

Just kidding. No books to be published?

Wala na. Last na 'yung before I left.

Oo nga, mayaman ka na eh.

Grabe naman! Who gets rich from writing?

J. K. Rowling?

Yeah, but my characters aren't as great as Harry Potter. They can't do magic, they can't save the wizarding world.

But they can save ordinary people from their thoughts?

Yeah. Thanks! But still. Muggles.

So.

So.

Coffee?

Sure. I'd love to.

I'd ask Cass.

Cass?

My wife.

Oh.

Yeah. Got married. Didn't you receive the invite? Akala ko 'di ka talaga pumunta. You know, nursing a broken heart?

Gago! Hahahahaha. Kailan pa? Sorry. I should have come.

Sino ba naman kasing maysabing magdeactivte ka ng social media accounts mo? I can't reach you. Mag-two years na rin.

You have kids?

Yeah. One. Calley.

Taray! Pang-mayaman.

You? May nag-alok na bang foreigner sa'yo ng kasal? Grabe talaga sila, exotic ang taste.

Grabe ka talaga sa akin as always. Syempre wala. Enjoying single blessedness right now. I'd like to meet your wife. Sama mo sya sa coffee date natin.

Ano sasabihin ko? Meet my ex of ten years? Maine, be sensitive naman.

I'm sure she knows me, ikaw pa. You won't marry her if she doesn't know you at all. Tell her, meet Maine, my ex of ten years I got over with because of you. Kikiligin 'yun, promise.

Iba talaga 'pag writer of romance, 'no.

Tsaka mas okay 'yung nakita nya ako and nakilala. Kesa mag-coffee tayo tapos syempre, you hated lying, sasabihin mo lang sa kanya si Maine ang kasama mo. Your wife would hate that more.

Yeah. Minsan alagain ka but mas logical ka talaga sa akin at times.

Hindi naman. I just know a woman's heart.

So, kailan?

Wait, let me check my sched. Next, next weekend?

Okay. Next next weekend will do. At least it will give me time to tell Cass we'd be dining with you.

Sure. Thanks, Alden! Happy birthday ulit. Sama mo si Calley if you have time!

Will do! Bye, Maine. Thanks for the greeting. Ingat.

Yeah. Sure. You too. Bye.

Ikaw na magbaba ng tawag. Alam kong ayaw mong nabababaan ka. Haha.

Okay? Hahaha. Sige.

And -

Yeah, sabi ko nga.

Sabi ko nga ayaw mong nabababaan ka ng tawag.

You didn't change, Maine.

Not at all.

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